- Under NO circumstances should a research study requiring REC approval go ahead without first receiving a favorable opinion from a REC.
- Any research study (and this includes research that is done by students and those in training programs) that involves HSE patients (or their data or samples), HSE staff (or their data or samples) or HSE premises MUST HAVE a favorable opinion from a HSE REC prior to starting.
Details on Available RECs
At present studies involving multiple healthcare sites, require multiple REC approvals with the exception of Clinical Trials for Investigational Medicinal Products (CT-IMPs) and Clinical Investigations with Medical Devices. In these cases, a single approval can be sought from the National Research Ethics Committee (NREC).
Find below details of RECs approving research projects outside the remit of the NREC.
- RECs for research projects hosted by CHO based services
- RECs for research projects hosted by Hospitals
- REC for research projects hosted by HSE Corporate and National Divisions
If you need any advice on which Reference REC you should apply to please contact the R&D team (HSE.REC@hse.ie) (Note: for advice on REC requirements and forms please contact the relevant REC).
Internal HSE Approval Requirements
All studies should be also approved by the relevant Head of Service before they commence.
For studies in National and Corporate Services, please complete the HSE National and Corporate Research Approval Form and submit it to HSE.REC@hse.ie for review by HSE R&D. Once reviewed, it will be required to submit it for approval to the relevant Head of Service or Division.
Resources to support making a REC application
Information on Consent: Patient Consent
Guidance on Making REC Applications Research ethics application: Research ethics application: A guide for the novice researcher